Study Conducted in Subjects With Rheumatoid Arthritis Who Have Moderate to Severe Disease Activity Despite Methotrexate Therapy With or Without Other Non Biologic Disease Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (DMARDs)for at Least 12 Weeks Prior to Screening

• Proportion of subjects who remained in remission at Week 52, among those who have achieved remission at Week 24. [ Time Frame: 52 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
• Proportion of subjects in LDA or remission at each visit during Period 1 and Period 2. [ Time Frame: 24 weeks, 52 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
• Change from baseline in the DAS28 score at each visit during Period 1 and Period 2. [ Time Frame: 24 weeks, 52 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
• Time-to-flare or loss of efficacy during Period 2. [ Time Frame: 52 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
• Proportion of subjects achieving European League Against Rheumatism good and or moderate responses at each visit during Period 1 and Period 2. [ Time Frame: 24 weeks, 52 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
• Proportion of subjects achieving LDA or remission at each visit during Period 1 and 2 based on CDAI and SDAI each visit during Period 1 and 2. [ Time Frame: 24 weeks, 52 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
• Change of CDAI and SDAI at each visit during Period 1 and 2. [ Time Frame: 24 weeks, 52 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
• Proportion of subjects achieving ACR 20, ACR 50, ACR 70 and ACR 90 during Period 1 and Period 2 at each visit. [ Time Frame: 24 weeks, 52 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
• Change in the tender and swollen joint counts at each visit during Period 1 and Period 2. [ Time Frame: 24 weeks, 52 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
• Change in the Physician Global Assessment at each visit during Period 1 and Period 2. [ Time Frame: 24 weeks, 52 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
• Change in the Subject Global Assessment, including morning stiffness (measured in minutes) at each visit during Period 1 and Period 2. [ Time Frame: 24 weeks, 52 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
• Change in the Subject General Health visual analog scale, and Pain VAS at each visit during Period 1 and Period 2. [ Time Frame: 24 weeks, 52 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
• Change in CRP and ESR at each visit during Period 1 and Period 2. [ Time Frame: 24 weeks, 52 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

To compare the maintenance of efficacy of the combination of etanercept 50 mg once weekly plus methotrexate with or without other disease modifying antirheumatic drugs therapy with that of methotrexate with or without other disease modifying antirheumatic drugs therapy at Week 52 in subjects with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis who have achieved low disease activity after 24 weeks of therapy with open label etanercept 50 mg once weekly plus MTX with or without other disease modifying antirheumatic drugs therapy.

• Drug: Etanercept
  etanercept 50mg once weekly + methotrexate with or without other DMARDs
• Drug: placebo
  etanercept placebo once weekly + methotrexate with or without other DMARDs

• Experimental: Group A
  Intervention: Drug: Etanercept
• Placebo Comparator: Group B
  Intervention: Drug: placebo

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Subject has a minimum 1 year history/diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis based on the 1987 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Revised criteria for RA.
2. Subject must have active rheumatoid arthritis despite methotrexate (MTX) therapy of ≥10 mg/wk for at least 12 weeks. The MTX dose must be stable for at least 4 weeks immediately prior to screening.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Subjects who used any of the following systemic treatments during the washout periods given below:

   1. Oral corticosteroid dose of prednisone >7.5 mg/day (or equivalent) or a change in dose within 28 days of baseline.
   2. Treatment with more than 1 NSAID within 14 days at baseline.
   3. Methotrexate dose greater than 25 mg/week, or change in the dose of methotrexate within 28 days of baseline.
   4. Subjects will be allowed to continue the following non biologic DMARDs: sulfasalazine, hydroxychloroquine, and leflumomide. All other non-biologic DMARDs (including but not limited to gold, penicillamine, azathioprine, cyclophospamide), and biologic DMARDs must have been discontinued at least 2 months prior to Week 1.
   5. Any biologic B cell depleting agent (eg, rituximab) within 2 years of Week 1.
2. Receipt of any live (attenuated) vaccine within 4 weeks prior to baseline.
3. Receipt of any live (attenuated) vaccine within 4 weeks prior to baseline.